Pentabromobenzyl acrylate (PBBMA) is an acrylic monomer, which is useful in many applications, especially but not exclusively, in the field of fire retardants for plastic compositions. It can be polymerized easily by known techniques such as bulk polymerization, solution polymerization etc., or by mechanical compounding or extrusion. In mechanical compounding or extrusion, it may be grafted onto existing polymer backbones, or added to unsaturated loci on polymers.
All these properties render PBBMA a particularly useful tool in the hands of experienced compounders. However, it has been impossible, so far, to carry out aqueous manipulations with PBBMA, in spite of their desirability, because, on the one hand, PBBMA is insoluble in water, and on the other hand, because of its high bromine content, it has a high specific gravity, about 2.7,—and therefore does not lend itself to the preparation and use of aqueous suspensions.
It is a purpose of this invention to provide stable dispersions or suspensions of PBBMA, which are new compositions of matter. Dispersions and suspensions are to be considered synonyms, as used herein.
It is another purpose of this invention to provide such dispersions or suspensions that are aqueous dispersions or suspensions.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a process for preparing such suspensions.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide suspensions of PBBMA for particular applications in industry.
It is a still further purpose of this invention to provide suspensions of PBBMA together with additional compounds, such as synergists for increasing the fire-retarding efficiency of compositions obtained from PBBMA.
It is a still further purpose of this invention to provide processes comprising the polymerization and/or copolymerization of PBBMA for the production of particular products.
Other purposes and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.